Wire-stretcher



(N0 Model.)

B. ERBE.

WIRE STRETOHER. No. 359,600. Patentg d MarQZZ, 1887.

' N. PEYERS, Pholo-Lflhognphur, Washington D c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BARTHEL FREE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

WI RE-STRET CHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,600, dated March 22, 1887.

Application filed January 20, 1887. Serial N 0. 224,947. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, BARTHEL ERBE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Pittsburg, Allegheny county, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Wire Stretcher-s for Stretching Fence-Wire; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear,

and'exaet description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it relates to make and use the same.

' The object of my invention is to produce a simple, cheap, and efficient implement for stretching wircs'in building wire fences.

Myinvention consists in the combination of two parallel ratchet-bars joined at their ends, so as to form a rigid frame or link, Withahook at the end opposite the base of the ratchets and a movable lever with a beveled edge, which works into the ratchets step by step, the teeth on either bar serving alternately as a fulcrum for the lever, which carries an iron or steel rod, to the end of which is attached a suitable gripper for holding the wire.

The construction and operation of my in vention will be more fully understood from the following more exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked on said drawings, like letters referring to the same parts in A A are the two ratchet-bars, bent and riveted together at the ends, as shown in Fig. 2, to form the frame. p

B is the movable lever, having an eye, 0, preferably placed in advanceof the beveled edge D, which catches into the ratchet-teeth.

F is a clip or brace connecting the two bars near their middle part to secure rigidity, and has no other function.

g is a steel'or iron rod connected at one end by a short link with eye 0, and having at the other end any suitable wire-gripping device.

(Z is a gnideloop at the end of the ratchetframe, to hold the rod 9 in proper relation thereto. I

H is a hook at therear end of theframe, for 'connecting it by a chain to a post or other sta tionary object when in use.

Thus constructed, my stretcher is operated as follows: Connecting the frame by a chain or rope, as stated, to any stationary object on the line in which the wire is to be stretched, and placing the lever in position near the front end of the frame, the wire to be stretched is drawn as taut as may be by hand and fastened in the gripper by the key a, as shown in Fig. 5, or held in any other suitable gripping device. The operator then takes hold of the handle of the lever B and alternately works it traverse the ratchets in a backward direction, and in doing so the lever carries with it the rodg and the attach ed gripper and stretches the wire to in the proper manner, and will holdthe wire taut at its extreme tension until itis properly secured to the line of posts. The grip being then released, the machine may be moved to a new position.

Having thus fully described my invention and its operation, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the ratchet frame A A, consisting of two parallel ratchet-bars having teeth pointing in the same direction, the beveledged lever B, catching directly in the ratchetteeth, the rod 9, connected to the lever B between the ratchetbars, and a wire-gripper, operating as and for the purpose specified.

BARTHEL ERBE.

WVitnesses:

A. PATTERSON, EDw. T. Evans.

back and forth, so that step by step it shall v 

